The Shelter's Pasture
I guess I won't need this anymore. From Zone A to Z, hundreds of screens stretched out like a folding screen, forming a real-time surveillance network. Graphs and complex data whose meanings I couldn't fathom scrolled busily up and down. Not everything seemed to be running, though. Maybe to save power? Only a few key facilities were lit up. That's weird. Didn't Yura say the power was unlimited? Including Zones C and L. The CCTVs for some other facilities were offline, showing only pitch-black screens flickering with static now and then. Are they deliberately hiding them? Who knows. She's always keeping so many secrets.
According to Yura, the areas I roam make up less than 1/20th of the total zones. I couldn't even guess what else lay hidden here.
"What you're seeing now is Zone D. Unless a Monster (Goei) enters firing range, it's usually in standby mode, so there's not much to see."
"Really? For something like that, there are armored vehicles and... is that a missile? You've got all sorts of stuff..."
"Surprising. What guy doesn't like guns, cannons, or vehicles? Don't most think they're too brutal and violent?"
Well... guys around here might say that. No different from Yura. I loved war novels, played with toy swords and robots as a kid. And I'd done my full army service, too. Of course, no one here would buy it, but put simply, I'd walked the classic tough-guy path.
"But Yura-ssi, why are the rest turned off? Only a few lights were on..."
"Curious?"
"Just a bit..."
"Then don't dig too deep. It's for your own good. Jeez... You're not just girly, you've got curiosity to boot."
Can't she share a little since we're living together? The facility's so vast, but I'm stuck going back and forth between here and a few zones. Hmm... Maybe she still sees me as an outsider? That makes sense. For her to take in some unknown guy is already a huge concession... Better not push too hard. Time's all we've got now. Rushing would just sour things.
I slurped my cola and leaned back in the plush chair. Yura was still scouting a 1km radius around the Ark Shell-153 with drones, occasionally scooping up scrap metal from the ruins and hauling it back to the shelter.
"Hey..."
"Yeah?"
She glanced over furtively. Maybe hung up on what she'd said earlier? Her eyes flicked between the screens and me before she finally spoke. After a moment's hesitation, she dropped some welcome news.
"If you're that set on it, wanna check out Zone F with me?"
"Zone F?"
"Yeah, nothing special. It's the farm. There's livestock pens, fields, even some rare animals you hardly see outside... And something like an aquarium for fish. Most of our food comes from there."
Oh... My ears perked up. F for Farm in English? Whatever, no reason to say no.
"You're busy, I don't wanna intrude..."
"Didn't you wanna hang out with me?"
I gave the polite deflection, but she grinned like she knew it all already. She recalled the scouting drones into the shelter and prepped to head out. Whoa... exciting. Still just playing inside the shelter, but every day brought something new here. I wondered what insane tech she'd wow me with next. A farm inside the shelter was already mind-blowing, and it was probably all futuristic. This place's tech outpaced the world by over a century... She hadn't disappointed me yet.
"Perfect. We can hit the aquarium too and grab some sashimi. Freshly sliced right there tastes the best."
She knew her stuff. Yura led the way, and I followed eagerly on her heels.
I don't remember it clearly. The guilt that pricked at her after forcibly taking Seohan. She'd steeled herself for it, but Yura—being human after all—had barely slept since the deed. Noah had hammered it home multiple times: he wouldn't remember yesterday for sure. As insurance, Zone T's (Therapy) drugs and tech had erased every bruise and mark. It was a perfect crime—only Yura knew what happened that night...
Haa... I was too hasty. Definitely too hasty.
She didn't need to rush like that. Seohan would have ended up in her hands eventually. With no other women but her, she could've wormed into his heart slowly. It was probably the booze. There's a difference between not getting drunk easily and staying stone-cold sober. Normally she'd have kept her wits, but with a man beside her, she couldn't stay composed. The urge to strip him bare and see his skin... it sparked the mishap.
...But come to think of it, didn't he like it too? No resistance during the act. If anything, he'd whined for her to go gentle, even crawling onto her playfully. He'd enjoyed it—no rejection at all. She'd been caught off guard by how lewd he was. Maybe I kept too much distance just because he's a guy? She could've been bolder... It's tricky. Men are fundamentally different creatures from women. One wrong move and they shatter. You have to approach gently, compromising, nurturing...
Yesterday's events had shaken her. This guy... maybe it's okay to knock him down right now... She shook her head. No matter how possible it seemed, she couldn't go to extremes. At least observe from afar once more. Just once—watch and then take him. Fuu... She let out a deep breath.
They'd arrived at Zone F. Drones buzzed busily through the entrance, procuring ingredients.
"Whoa..."
Seohan let out a long whistle the moment they stepped in, stunned by the vast space. "Insane. Feels like we're outside. It's like a park, so huge... Is that the sun?"
"Precisely, an artificial sun. Built to mimic the outside environment as much as possible for the plants and animals."
An endless expanse of grassland stretched out. But it was too soon to be impressed—this was just the livestock area, not even half the zone. She tended it daily, polishing and maintaining. Machines handled the heavy lifting, of course, under her control.
"Cows... pigs too... chickens, sheep... goats..."
Seohan gaped at the variety of animals, speechless. Heh. Was this the thrill of being an alpha female? Wrapping a man around her finger with wealth and power alone. Not intentional, but somehow the vibe screamed, I'm that kind of woman. Her shoulders lifted proudly. Right, a woman needs financial power. Feed the man—that's the rich woman's job. Men can primp and support from below. That's a proper household.
Seohan, eyes sparkling as he leaned on the fence. Yura hesitated behind him—should she put her hand on his shoulder? She didn't think he'd refuse... but it might get awkward. Her hand wouldn't move. Isn't it time for that kind of mood? Seohan didn't seem to hate her. Over a week together—that's plenty. Some hook up after eye contact alone... She'd waited so long... Slowly, she embraced him from behind, subtle enough he wouldn't notice.
"You raise them like this? Er... free-range?"
"Fr-free-range? If it's free-range, it's free-range."
No rejection. He flinched when her hand hit his shoulder but smiled softly and kept talking naturally. Not hating it, right? He likes it, right?! Good. Approaching him casually had been the right call. No look of disgust like other men. No curses. He accepted her touch. Thank goodness... I don't have to do anything nasty to you. If it had gone wrong—if he'd hated her like the others—she'd have been ready to go full monster as a human. Guess this syringe isn't needed.
Plop—
The pink-liquid-filled syringe hit the dirt. Its contents? A secret. Drones would clean it later anyway—she kicked it into the soil casually.
A chill, artificial breeze whooshed by, brushing Yura and Seohan's cheeks, carrying a fresh, invigorating scent. Perfect. No better atmosphere.
"Do you like dogs?"
"Dogs? Why out of the blue?"
"Thinking about it, I have two Border Collies I raised for herding sheep. Last week? They had puppies."
"..."
"I have too much empty time. A puppy would make it less lonely."
"Yeah. Being alone gets boring for sure."
"How about it? Wanna raise one?"
Instead of words, Seohan beamed. How can even his smile be so handsome? Right, win him over bit by bit like this. Make it so he can't do anything without her. Even if he turns into an idiot. As long as his fingers and toes work. Dye him slowly... A life without Yura becomes hell. Trap him in this deep swamp forever.